Re: The "New" Cyanotype - Part 2

wmlaven@well.com ( wmlaven@well.com)
Sun, 05 January 1997 4:28 PM

>>
>> Hello blueprinters.
>>
>> Judy mentioned to me that she observed that coated paper, dried with a
>> hair drier resulted in lower Dmax. I had never heard of this so I tried
>> that. Judy is right. The paper dried with a hair drier had a lower Dmax.
>
>I've noticed that printing Pt/Pd on Arches Platine that my Dmax was
>signficantly lower if I blow dried the paper.
>
>David

And, ironically, I noticed the exact opposite. A year or so ago David and I
were copmparing notes and techniques and got very different results
w/similar techniques. His technique of double coating with Pt/Pd and
letting both dry overnight gave him spectacular results and me plain old
dull flat prints; when I did my technique of double coating and letting the
print dry naturally for 10 or 15 minutes (sometimes less) than drying with
a hair daryer gave me the long scale and high dMax that he got in a totally
different way. East coast vs. West coast?? Wouldn't surprise me (He's near
Boston, I'm in SF) Since we all know how so many different variables can
effect alt-photo processes, maybe its not just the blow drying which makes
a difference, but even perhaps how it is blow dried, ie the temp setting,
the distance from the paper, the amt of time, etc etc. Same old, same old;
while we can discuss broad categories of where differences occur, some of
the major differences, and least quantifiable, come in individual
technique.

Bill

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